The Blue Fairy Book eBook

After this he said: “This is not yet enough;
I will use the whole town after the same manner if
they do not immediately acknowledge Prince Ahmed,
my brother-in-law, for their Sultan and the Sultan
of the Indies.” Then all that were there
present made the air echo again with the repeated
acclamations of: “Long life to Sultan Ahmed”;
and immediately after he was proclaimed through the
whole town. Schaibar made him be clothed in the
royal vestments, installed him on the throne, and
after he had caused all to swear homage and fidelity
to him went and fetched his sister Paribanou, whom
he brought with all the pomp and grandeur imaginable,
and made her to be owned Sultaness of the Indies.

As for Prince Ali and Princess Nouronnihar, as they
had no hand in the conspiracy against Prince Ahmed
and knew nothing of any, Prince Ahmed assigned them
a considerable province, with its capital, where they
spent the rest of their lives. Afterwards he
sent an officer to Prince Houssain to acquaint him
with the change and make him an offer of which province
he liked best; but that Prince thought himself so
happy in his solitude that he bade the officer return
the Sultan his brother thanks for the kindness he
designed him, assuring him of his submission; and
that the only favor he desired of him was to give
him leave to live retired in the place he had made
choice of for his retreat.[1]

[1] Arabian Nights.

THE HISTORY OF JACK THE GIANT-KILLER

In the reign of the famous King Arthur there lived
in Cornwall a lad named Jack, who was a boy of a bold
temper, and took delight in hearing or reading of conjurers,
giants, and fairies; and used to listen eagerly to
the deeds of the knights of King Arthur’s Round
Table.

In those days there lived on St. Michael’s Mount,
off Cornwall, a huge giant, eighteen feet high and
nine feet round; his fierce and savage looks were
the terror of all who beheld him.

He dwelt in a gloomy cavern on the top of the mountain,
and used to wade over to the mainland in search of
prey; when he would throw half a dozen oxen upon his
back, and tie three times as many sheep and hogs round
his waist, and march back to his own abode.

The giant had done this for many years when Jack
resolved to destroy him.

Jack took a horn, a shovel, a pickaxe, his armor,
and a dark lantern, and one winter’s evening
he went to the mount. There he dug a pit twenty-two
feet deep and twenty broad. He covered the top
over so as to make it look like solid ground.
He then blew his horn so loudly that the giant awoke
and came out of his den crying out: “You
saucy villain! you shall pay for this I’ll broil
you for my breakfast!”

He had just finished, when, taking one step further,
he tumbled headlong into the pit, and Jack struck him
a blow on the head with his pickaxe which killed him.
Jack then returned home to cheer his friends with the
news.